Hungarian Lecsó (Pepper and Tomato Stew)

About This Recipe

Lecsó is the Hungarian national vegetable stew — a simple, beautiful combination of Hungarian yellow wax peppers, tomatoes, onions, paprika, and kolbász sausage cooked down into a sweet, savory, intensely flavored side dish or main course. Made in enormous quantities in late summer when peppers are at their peak, lecsó is also preserved in jars for winter. Eggs are often scrambled in at the end for a complete meal.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 6 largeHungarian yellow wax peppers (or banana peppers)
• 4 mediumtomatoes, chopped
• 2 largeonions, sliced into half-moons
• 200 gHungarian kolbász or smoked sausage, sliced
• 4 tbsplard or vegetable oil
• 2 tspsweet Hungarian paprika
• 1 tspsalt
• 4 largeeggs (optional, to finish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the sausage

   Heat lard in a wide pot. Add sausage slices and cook until lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon.

2. 2

   Sauté the onions

   In the same fat, cook onions over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Add paprika and peppers

   Remove from heat briefly, add paprika and stir. Add sliced peppers. Return to heat and cook for 15 minutes.

4. 4

   Add tomatoes and simmer

   Add tomatoes and salt. Return sausage to the pot. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes until the stew is thick and peppers are completely soft.

5. 5

   Optional: add eggs

   For a complete meal, beat eggs and pour over the stew. Stir gently until eggs are set but still creamy.

Variations

• •

  Make fully vegetarian with no sausage

• •

  Add rice to make a complete pilaf

• •

  Serve over polenta for a heartier meal

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freezes well without eggs for 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions